Residents during urological training must be trained in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of medical and surgical conditions of the urinary tract and retroperitoneum in both sexes, as well as the male genital tract. The training of the urology resident is variable depending on the country in which they are trained even within the European Union.
The official Spanish program that orders the 5 years of training divides the specialty into 7 areas of knowledge; renal transplantation is one of this areas. In Spain, renal transplantation surgery is performed by urologist. Knowing the reality on the training offered to urological residents would detect points susceptible to improvement, redesign sources, and provide the means to ensure the adequate training of future generations of surgeons of renal transplantation.
We performed an online survey in order to know the current situation of training in renal transplantation to urology residents. Questionnaire designed to be answered online was emailed to 138 urology residents (30% of the theoretical current Spanish urological residents population). 65 responded to the survey (47,1%) form 28 cities. More than one half (55%) considered the training offered during residency in renal transplantation is insufficient, clearly asking for more training means (85%). When estimating the number of renal transplants that will be performed at the end of the residence only 15,3% were confident to fulfill at least one renal transplantation as first surgeon. When asked about interest and priority in different areas of urological knowledge, renal transplantation was place in secondary position behind oncology, laparoscopy and endourology/lithiasis, close to functional urology and andrology.
Training in renal transplantation should be ensured and standardized to all urology residents, whether or not they are in a transplant center, as well as courses enhanced, both practical and theoretical on training renal transplantation. Residents surveyed demand more training in renal transplantation. The most common situation is that the resident finishes educational program without conducting a renal transplantation completely. Renal transplantation awakens a secondary interest among the priorities of residents
Written by:
Cabello Benavente
Unidad de Trasplante Renal, Hospitales IDC Salud Madrid (Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Hospital Infanta Elena y Hospital Rey Juan Carlos), Madrid, España.
Abstract: Residency in urology and training in kidney transplantation: Results of a national survey